The independent panel tasked with deciding a potential new flag for New Zealand has published its long list of 40 possible designs.
新西蘭的新國旗方案獨立專家小組日前公布了40幅入圍設計稿，這個小組將負責在其中選出新國旗的設計方案。

Nearly 10,300 were submitted by members of the public to a government website for consideration by the government-appointed panel of 16 people.
政府網(wǎng)站收到了新西蘭民眾提交的近10300幅作品，這些作品將交由政府任命的16人國旗方案專家小組進行評審。

The process attracted international attention for its more off-the-wall entries, including memorably a kiwi with lasers for eyes, a crude line drawing of a man on a bicycle, a QR code, and the 10-year-old Pepe the Frog meme.
由于較為稀奇古怪的參選作品，該活動吸引了國際關注。其中令人印象深刻的作品有：一只眼睛發(fā)射激光的幾維鳥、一幅騎著自行車的男人的拙劣簡筆畫、一個二維碼、甚至還有一只誕生于1995年的青蛙佩佩。

Unsurprisingly, but nonetheless somewhat disappointingly, the panel went for a more refined approach in the longlist of 40 designs it published on Monday, with variations on the silver fern, the Southern Cross constellation and the koru (unfurling fern frond) featuring prominently.
專家小組10日公布了40幅設計初選入圍設計稿，走的是高雅路線，雖然不出意料，但還是或多或少有些讓人失望。新西蘭銀蕨、南十字星座以及展開的銀蕨葉這些入圍作品里出現(xiàn)最多的元素。

The silver fern on black designed by Kyle Lockwood – which was the preference of the prime minister, John Key, before it was likened to the Islamic State’s flag by an Australian commentator – is on the list.
新西蘭總理約翰?基（John Key）原本看好由凱爾?洛克伍德設計的黑底銀蕨旗，但后來有一名澳大利亞評論人士指出黑底銀蕨旗太像恐怖組織伊斯蘭國（Islamic State）的旗幟。

In an open letter jointly signed by all 12 members, the panel said its decision was guided by the input of “thousands of Kiwis across a range of communities told us when they shared what is special to them about New Zealand”.
在一封由12名專家小組成員全體簽名的公開信中，專家小組表示，數(shù)千名來自不同群體的新西蘭人分享了新西蘭對自已而言最特別的地方，他們是在這些民眾傳達出的信息的指引下做出的決定。

“A potential new flag should unmistakably be from New Zealand and celebrate us as a progressive, inclusive nation that is connected to its environment, and has a sense of its past and a vision for its future.”
“新國旗的候選設計毫無疑問必須具有鮮明的新西蘭特色，體現(xiàn)出我們是一個進取、包容的國家，我們同自然和諧相處，我們銘記歷史同樣也面向未來?！?/p>

Cultural, vexillology and art and design experts were asked to review the longlisted designs, and due diligence of all 40 will be carried out, “including robust intellectual property checks”.
文化、旗幟學和藝術與設計方面的專家應邀審查這些入選作品，他們將認真負責地審閱全部40幅作品，“包括對這些作品進行嚴格的知識產(chǎn)權的審查”。

Two designs by Pax Zwanikken, a New Zealander based in Sydney, made the longlist of the “20 or so” he submitted.
住在悉尼的新西蘭人帕克斯?茨瓦尼肯提交了“20個左右”作品，有兩幅作品入選。

“My personal favourites were more simple than the ones they selected, but I’m not surprised that these two were their choice,” he said. “They are potentially less divisive than some of my other concepts.”
帕克斯表示：“我自己最喜歡的作品要比小組選出來的更簡約，但他們選了這兩幅作品我并不意外，因為同我的一些其他創(chuàng)意相比這兩個要和諧多了?！?/p>

Zwanikken said he felt that there had been a backlash against the push to change the flag – instigated by Key – in part because of the cost and duration of the process, which will include a two-step postal vote and is estimated to cost just under $NZ26m.
更換國旗的事情由新西蘭總理約翰?基發(fā)起。帕克斯說他認為更換國旗這件事遭到抵制的部分原因是開銷過大耗時過長，它需要進行兩輪郵寄投票，預計耗資近2600萬新西蘭元。

The panel is now faced with the task of whittling down the longlist of 40 to four designs that will be put to a public vote in a binding referendum in November or December.
小組現(xiàn)在面臨著將這40幅設計稿精簡為4幅的任務，選出的4款設計將在11月份或12月份接受公投，公投結果具有約束力。

A second referendum, to be held in March 2016, will be a run-off between the current flag and the preferred alternative design.
第二輪公投將于2016年3月份舉行，將決定保留現(xiàn)在使用的國旗還是選擇之前選出的新國旗設計。

New Zealand’s current flag, a pairing of the Union Jack with the Southern Cross constellation that closely resembles Australia’s, was formally adopted in 1902.
新西蘭現(xiàn)在的國旗于1902年正式投入使用，由英聯(lián)邦的米字旗和南十字星座組合而成，與澳大利亞的國旗頗為相似。

Vocabulary

silver fern：銀蕨

vexillology：旗幟學

whittle down：削減

英文來源：衛(wèi)報

譯者：白潔

審校&編輯：劉明

OK，接下來咱們欣賞下新西蘭人腦洞大開、千奇百怪的參賽作品吧~

基本上畫風是醬紫滴：

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